Study with Innofibre

Category: Other
Time frame: 2024
Location: Québec
Status: Completed

Carton Council of Canada commissioned a study from Innofibre, a Quebec industrial innovation centre, on the potential of using fibres from recycled cartons for producing moulded pulp packaging, with the aim of encouraging the emergence of new local recyclers for cartons recovered in Canada.

Innofibre produced pulp from post-consumer cartons obtained from a material recovery facility (MRF) and transformed it into moulded trays using transfer moulding and thermoforming techniques. The research confirmed that recycled carton fibre pulp has similar mechanical and physical properties to virgin kraft pulp, which means it can be used to make high-quality moulded products. Carton pulp proved significantly stronger than mechanical pulp from old newspaper, the pulp typically used for moulded products made from recycled fibres. It was also shown to be particularly suitable for industrial manufacturing processes, given the relatively short production time of items and a shrinkage rate that does not interfere with nesting. Recycled carton pulp packaging could be used to contain or protect products in food and non-food industries.

The full Innofibre research report can be freely downloaded in English and French.